Press Date: 12/15/2004

OhioHealth launches concierge and errand service to give back time to busy nurses and staff

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Life is full of time-consuming tasks. Sometimes, to reach the elusive equilibrium between work and life, the fulcrum needs to be an extra set of hands.

Someone to pick up your dry cleaning.

Shop for groceries or holiday gifts.

Walk the dog.

Address wedding invitations.

Meet the plumber.

Get your car’s oil changed.

Now, imagine an employer providing this help as a benefit.

OhioHealth, a system of hospitals based in central Ohio, is one of the first hospital systems in the nation to do just that. It recently launched a concierge and errand service, called “At Your Service,” for its 12,000 employees and volunteers.

“This program is designed to help our employees and volunteers find more balance in their daily lives,” said Debra Plousha Moore, senior vice president of Human Resources, OhioHealth. “We know everyone here gives their work a lot of energy. We wanted to add a benefit that helps balance work and life.”

Representatives of At Your Service, called concierges, are available on-site at the three OhioHealth hospitals in central Ohio — Riverside Methodist Hospital, Grant Medical Center, and Doctors Hospital. A virtual concierge is available for ambulatory facilities and others located in offices off-site of the hospital.

Employees can request help with their personal tasks by stopping by one of the hospital offices, calling the concierge office toll-free or submitting a request online 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The concierges are bonded and insured.

OhioHealth is underwriting the service, so the fee for employees is nominal. Non-errand services such as wrapping presents, doing research, making calls or addressing envelopes are free. For errands that require the concierge to drive somewhere, employees pay only 36 cents a mile plus the cost of whatever service or purchase they’ve requested. Urgent requests requiring completion within 24 hours cost an additional $5 per hour.

“In the first week, we’ve seen a wide range of requests that truly reflect the individual needs of each person,” said Andrea Novakoski, owner and president of 2 Places at 1 Time, the vendor for the program. “By using At Your Service, employees get time for themselves and their families — instead of running errands the entire weekend.”

OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, Columbus-based, not-for-profit, charitable organization serving and supported by the community. It is a family of hospitals, health and surgery centers, home-health providers, medical equipment and other health service suppliers throughout a 46-county area. OhioHealth hospitals in Franklin County are Riverside Methodist Hospital, Grant Medical Center and Doctors Hospital.